Machine for making berry-boxes.



Patented July 4, I899.

0. w. moms. MACHINE FOR MAKING BERRY BOXES.

(Application filed Sept. 10, 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Patented July 4, I899.

No. 628,37l.

. c. w. moms: MACHINE FOR MAKING BERRY BOXES.

(Application filed Sept. 10. 1898.\

3 Shegtv-Shoet 3.

No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARK W. THOMAS, OF FRAZEYSBURG, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BERRY-BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,371, dated July 4, 1899.

' Application filed September 10,1898. Serial No. 690,669. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, CLARK W. THOMAS, citizen of the United States, residing at Frazeysburg, in the county of Muskingum and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Berry-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for making berry and other boxes of that class wherein the side flaps of the boxbody are secured to and connected by flexible strips, forming bands extending around the inner and outer sides of the flaps adjacent to their rim edges.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provide simple and effective means whereby the inner and outer rim-bands maybe quickly and conveniently formed; second, to provide an improved forming-block around which the bands are folded and by which they may be maintained in the proper shape while the ends thereof are stapled; third, to provide a simple and efficient clamp to hold the side flaps of the box-body closed about the forming-block while the outer rim-band .is being applied thereto; fourth, to provide improved means to prevent the formation of angles and breaking of the band-strips at the corners of the box-body during the folding operation, and, finally, to simplify and improve the construction and render more efficient the operation of this class of apparatus generally.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and specifically' set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a box-making machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same, showing the parts in their normal positions. Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view illustrating the manner of forming the inner rim-band. Fig. 4 is a similar View illustrating the manner of applying the outer rim-band to complete the formation of the box. Fig. 5 is afront elevajacentto the ends thereof. of the table is cut away in its front edge to tion of the machine, the front section of the table being removed. Fig. 6 is avertical section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a portion of the removable table-section, showing the extension thereof and pressure-spring carried thereby. Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the forming-block. Fig. 9 is a front elevational View of the same. Fig. 10 is a rear perspective view of the clamp, and Fig. 11 is a front perspective view of the same.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, A represents the frame of the machine, which may be of any approved construction, and B a work-table mounted thereon and consisting of a fixed or permanentlyattached rear section 0 and a detachable front section D, the said two sections being spaced apart a sufficient distance at their adjoining edges to form a transverse slot or opening 6,- in which the rim band-forming arms are adapted to operate, as hereinafter described. This construction of table while deemed preferable is not essential, as it is obvious that it may consist of a single board or piece of material provided with a slot terminating ad- The rear section form a clearance notch or opening f, and short posts or standards G are arranged on opposite sides of this opening at or adjoining the front edge of the section, while the front section is provided with a short supporting extension I-I, which projects across the slot ein line with said opening. To the under side of this extension is centrally secured a trans- Verse plate pressurespring H, the free ends 71 of which are curved upwardly in line with or slightly above the table, as shown.

, Arranged on opposite sides of the extension H are arms I, which normally occupy the slot 6 and are pivoted near their inner ends upon bolts projecting from the rear section of the table. GuidesJ are provided at each end of the table to insure the direct vertical movement of the arms and prevent lateral displacement of the same when moving into and out of the slot. The function of these arms is to fold the flexible inner and outer bandstrips about the forming-block, hereinafter described, and side flaps of the body portion, and each arm is preferably made in two parts or sections and I, one being provided with a longitudinal slot m and the'other with a clamping-boltm,projecting through said slot, whereby the arms may be adjusted to receive and operate upon band-strips of different lengths. The outer ends of the arms are bent at right angles to form clamps Z, notched to retain the ends of the band-strips in position thereon, and the inner ends thereof are arranged to bear against the under side of the free upturned ends 7?, of the pressure-spring H, and curved laterally and rearwardly, so as to project into the notch or openingfin the rear table-section and are jointed to the lower ends of links 01, which are in turn pivoted at their upper ends to a bolt 0, arranged to traverse a longitudinal slot in a vertical guide-plate O, fixed to said rear table-section. This bolt is carried by a vertically-reciprocating rod P, connected at its lower end to a treadle Q, pivoted to the base portion of the frame A. By depressing the treadle the arms will be caused, through the connections just described, to swing upwardly and inwardly from a substantially horizontal position to a vertical position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. A spiral spring Q, connecting the treadle to the guide-plate 0, serves to restore the parts to their normal positions.

The forming-block employed in connection with my improved machine consists of ablock proper, R, shaped to conform to the configuration of the box-body and provided at the corners thereof with curved metallic formingstrips S. Thesestrips extend from the rear end of the block and forwardly therefrom, and each strip is tapered, being narrowest at its inner or rear end, so as to permit the formation of a slight corner angle at the bottom of the box, and widest at its outer or front end, so as to avoid the formation of a corner angle at the top of the box around which the inner and outer bands extend. Lugs or projections 75, extending at right angles, are provided at the front ends of the forming-strips and serve as stops or gages against which the free edges of the side flaps of the boxbody abut when the latter is placed on the block.

The box-body is retained in position on the forming-block and the side flaps thereof held confined by a clamp consisting of a followerblock U, adapted to press the bottom of the box against the forming-block and provided with a handle Q), whereby it may be conveniently manipulated, and spring gripping-fingers 10, adapted to clamp the side flanges of the box-body against the sides of the forming-block.

It may be here stated that the box blanks or bodies are not made by this machine, and the machine is adapted simply for forming the inner and outer flexible rim-bands about the box to reinforce and connect the side flaps thereof. In practice the flexible strip which is to be formed into a band is extended transversely across the table and secured within the notched outer ends of the pivoted arms, and in forming the inner rim-band the forming-block is first placed upon the table, with the outer ends of its curved metallic cornerpieces resting against the posts G, and then the treadle is operated to actuate the arms and cause the same to fold the strip about the said curved metallic corner-pieces,as shown in Fig. 3. During this operation the strip rests against the lugs 15 on the outer ends of the corner-pieces, which serve as gages therefor, and the free outwardly-curved ends of the pressure-spring H press against the flexible strip at the lower corners and prevent the formation of angles at those points and breaking of the strip while it is being folded. After the inner rim-band has been formed as thus described the forming-block is removed and the free ends of the strip united by stapling or otherwise. The box blank or body is next placed in position on the formingblock, with its bottom portion resting against the rear side of said block and its side flaps folded over upon the sides of the same and projecting toward the front thereof. The box-bodyis retained in position and the side flaps of the same held confined by the clamp U, which is applied thereto in the manner shown in Fig. 4:, thus leaving the hands of the operator free to handle the block and operate the machine. Finally, the formingblock, with the parts applied thereto as de scribed, is again placed upon the table as before and the vertically-movable arms operated to fold the rim-strip around the outer sides of the flaps of the box-body, and when this is done the block is removed and the inner and outer rims and side flaps secured by stapling. It will be noted that when the operation of forming the bands is completed the angularly-bent ends of the arms bear against the upper corners and free ends thereof. By this means the formation of angles in the strip at said corners is avoided and the free ends of the strip are held firmly inposition until the block is removed.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact features of construe tion and arrangement set forth as constituting its preferred form, but that these may be modified in certain respects, as circumstances or the judgment of those skilled in the art may dictate,without departing from the essential features of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a box-making machine of the character described, the combination of a frame and work-table, a pair of arms pivoted to the table and adapted to fold the rim-band strips about a suitable former supported there- Y on, means for pressing the strip against the lower corners of the former, a rod connected at its upper end to the arms, a treadle to opcrate the arms pivoted to the frame and connected to the lower end of said rod, and a spring for restoring the parts to their normal positions, substantially as described.

2. In a box-making machine of the character described, the combination of a frame and Work-table, a pair of vertically-movable arms bent at their outer ends to form clamps and pivoted adjacent to their inner ends to the table, said arms being adapted to fold the rimband strips of the box about a suitable former resting on the table, a rod carrying at its upper end a bolt moving in a guide on the table, links connecting the inner ends of the arms to the bolt, a treadle connected to the lower end of the rod for operating the arms, and a spring for restoring the parts to their normal positions, substantially as described,

3. In a box-making machine of the character described, the combination of a frame and a work-table provided with a transverse slot and a notch or opening in the front edge of its rear section, a slotted guide at the rear of the notch, posts or standards arranged on opposite sides of said notch, a pair of arms pivoted near their inner ends in the slot on opposite sides of the notch and each consisting of two parts or sections adj ustably connected and having their outer ends bent to form clamps and their inner ends curved laterally and projecting into the notch, said arms being adapted to fold the rim-band strips of the box about a suitable former resting on the table, a rod carrying at its upper end a bolt moving in a guide on the table, links connecting the inner ends of the arms to the bolt, a treadle connected to the lower end of the rod for operating the arms, anda spring for restoring the parts to their normal positions, substantially as described.

4. In a box-making machine of the character described, the combination, with a worktable, of a pair of arms pivoted thereto and adapted to fold a rim-band strip about a form er resting thereon, and a pressure-spring adapted to press the strip against the lower corners of the former, substantially'as described.

5. In aboX-making machine of the character described, the combination, with a worktable, of a pair of arms pivoted near their inner ends thereto and adapted to fold a rimband strip about a former resting thereon, and a plate-spring secured centrally and having upturned free ends adapted to press the strip against the lower corners of the former, substantially as described.

6. In a box-making machine of the character described, the combination of a work-table provided with a transverse slot and an extension projecting across said slot, a pair of arms arranged on opposite sides of said extension and pivoted near their inner ends to the table in the slot, the free ends of said arms being adapted to support and fold a rim-band strip about a former resting on the table, operating mechanism connected to the inner ends of said arms, and a plate pressurespring secured centrally to said extension and having its free ends arranged to press the strip against the lower corners of the former, substantially as described.

7. In a box-making machine of the character described, the combination, with a worktable, of a former resting thereon and provided with rounded corners, a pair of pivoted arms adapted to fold a rim-band strip about said former, and means for yieldingly pressing the strip against the lower rounded corners of the former to prevent the formation of angles, substantially as described.

8. In a box-making machine of the character described, a former comprising a rectangular block provided at the corners thereof with curved tapered metallic strips extending from the rear end of the block and projecting beyond its front end, each strip being narrowest at its rear end and widest at its front end and provided at the latter end with a right-angular lug, in combination with a clamp consisting of a follower-block adapted to press the bottom of the box-body against the former, a handle projecting from the rear side of the block, and spring gripping-fingers projecting forwardly therefrom and adapted to clamp the side flaps of the box-body, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CLARK IV. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

J 0s. G. HAMILTON, JOSEPH MARTIN. 

